28 March 2024
The importance of beginning well cannot be overstated, and Juventus’ start to the 2016/17 season off the back of five consecutive Serie A titles got them off on the right foot to claim their sixth.
Then, one of the first hurdles for Massimiliano Allegri and his side to overcome was an away game against Lazio, on 27 August, in the middle of a scorching Roman summer with the sun beating down on an 18:00 CEST kick-off. It became a matter of thinking about more than technical skills, and the temperature also needed to be carefully managed as best possible.
INZAGHI AGAINST ALLEGRI: A CROSSROADS OF DESTINIES
The game is also one of the many pages in the history of Allegri’s record against Simone Inzaghi, who was then in charge of Lazio and ready to try to put the Bianconeri in trouble with his 3-4-3. They looked to exploit the flanks to feed Ciro Immobile, while Juventus countered that with a 3-5-2 that allowed for stability all over the pitch.
SERIE A’S FIRST-EVER TIME-OUT
The match went down as historic and remains in the memories of fans, with new rules introduced in an attempt to manage the incredible heat that August, with a two-minute cooling break allowed for players to take on water, refresh, and even reorganise their set-up. Juventus didn’t let that opportunity pass, navigating through early pressure from their hosts to then restore balance and setting themselves up to deliver a blow in the second half.
KHEDIRA DELIVERS A FATAL BLOW
Things changed in the second half that day. With an hour played, the Bianconeri were running low on energy, and it was down to individuals to make the difference. Juventus’ experience took and midway through the half Paulo Dybala found Sami Khedira evading his marker in the box to finish for his second Serie A goal, having settled the season opener against Fiorentina as well.
Then, Juventus’ defence was impenetrable as well, allowing a 1-0 win to be sealed and for the season to get off to the best possible start.
